Lief and Jasmine two hearts in one
by Fang69
Summary: Hey guys! I LOVE deltora quest, and one of my biggest hopes when reading the series was for Lief and Jasmine to be together! But after I discovered that they didn't even KISS, i was totally bummed. So I decided to create my own Lief and Jasmine love story! This is my first fanfiction, so please be kind on the reviews! Thanks!
1. Love from Afar

**I do not own Deltora Quest. All rights belong to the owner and writer Emily Rodda. **

Love from Afar

Jasmine sat, perched on a tall branch on a lush, friendly tree in the middle of the palace garden as she stared down at the sparkling blue necklace in her hand, admiring the great detail and intricacy. Lief had made it for her at the day of the ceremony. Jasmine could only imagine the care and thought that was put into the necklace. Even Gollock, the aggressive Jalis brute who cared little for delicacy and is a total fighting adept, was impressed by the fine blacksmithing. Jasmine sighed at the beauty of the necklace and tucked it under her tunic.

It has been some time now, Jasmine had discovered something that she has been desperately trying to hide; she was in love with Lief. _I wonder where Lief is right now. _Thought Jasmine. Jasmine sighed again, though this time, not in the awe of beauty, but in despair. She knew exactly where Lief was. He was in his study room, reading the letters of the nobles, with most of the letters including content saying things like

_Dear King of Deltora,_

_ … and my daughter is also kind and talented a side from her beauty. She has been proposed to countless times, but she turned down everyone, in hope that…_

or…

_Dear King of Deltora,_

_ … not only that, but I also admire your bravery and wisdom. I have not given any men a second though when they ask for my hand, but, you are not any men._

and sometimes, even things as mad as…

_Dear King of Deltora,_

… _and so, we have decided that there is only one man good enough for our precious daughters. The King of Deltora. If you do not feel that our daughters are too young for marriage, please consider all seven of them and… _

These letters of proposal has been coming in for nearly a month now, since Lief's eighteenth birthday was nearing. And whenever Jasmine silently walked up behind Lief in his studies unnoticed, it broke her heart to see Lief reading the letters of proposal with undying attention. Jasmine felt a hard lump in the back of her throat, and she quickly took a deep breath to fight back the tears. _It's no use being sad Jasmine. _She thought to herself bitterly. _You love him, but the truth cannot be helped. Lief is meeting more and more fine and young girls that come from nobilities, and soon, he will marry one of them. You are but a wild girl. It's hopeless._

Lief's heart pounded with happiness and excitement as he stood in the middle of the palace garden. He looked at Jasmine, who was walking over to him, with a beautiful smile on her face, and her emerald eyes twinkling.

"Lief," said Jasmine softly. Lief didn't reply. He just stood there, mesmerized by her beauty as a smile curved on his lips.

"Lief," said Jasmine again. "I love you…" Lief couldn't believe his ears! He had wanted to hear those words from Jasmine for so long! His eyes widened as Jasmine stopped in front of him. She leaned in close, and her lips were getting closer and closer to Lief's. He closed his eyes, and leaned in himself, eager for the warmth of her lips.

"Lief!" Lief's eyes snapped open, and he quickly sat up, looking around for the source of the voice. He turned to see Barda, standing next to him with a grin on his bearded face.

"Wha...?" said mumbled Lief as he stared at Barda. He looked around again, looking for Jasmine, but she was nowhere to be found. "Where's Ja-" Lief stopped, and realized that he was dreaming. He wasn't standing in the palace garden, and he wasn't with Jasmine. He was in his study room, sitting at his desk, with countless crumpled and un-crumpled letters around him.

"Barda, what are you-" Lief began as he suddenly stopped. His confusion and curiosity suddenly turned into rage and disappointment. "WHY DID YOU WAKE ME?" shouted Lief as he jumped out of his desk in fury. Barda seemed quite surprised by Lief's sudden explosion, but his grin did not falter.

"Having a good dream?" said Barda slyly.

"Yes!" exploded Lief. "And YOU ruined it!" Lief huffed and slumped down into his desk. He had never been so angry with Barda in his life!

"I figured," said Barda. "You had a big silly grin on your face, and then, your lips puckered."

"Y- you saw the whole thing?" asked Lief in disbelief. Barda burst out laughing, his deep voice echoing down the halls. When he finally stopped, he wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at Lief.

"So tell me, Lief. Who's the lucky girl?"

"What? Nobody! That's not even what I was dreaming about!" Lief cheeks turned red, and he knew that it was a bad lie.

"C'mon, you're not fooling anybody! Just tell me who she is!"

"I said that it was nobody, okay? I still have a lot of letter and papers I have to read and sign, so please go." Barda smirked and bowed low.

"As you wish, my king." said Barda teasingly. When Barda was well away from the study room, Lief leaned back in his chair and let out a deep breath.

"Jasmine…" whispered Lief. If only she knew how he felt. He wanted to tell Jasmine that from the moment he met her in the forests of silence, he fell in love with her. After everything they went through on the quest to retrieve the seven gems of the Belt of Deltora, his affections for Jasmine only grew. All this time, nobles from all over the country sent him letters, either recommending themselves if they were young ladies, or recommending their daughters if they were parents. Each day, after going through what seemed like millions of scrolls and letters, he burnt all the letters of proposal in the forge back his old home. He feared that if Jasmine saw them, it would seriously jeopardize his chances with her. But like Jasmine would care if there were hundreds of nobles out there, trying to win Lief's affections. She was a forest girl that enjoyed the outdoors and freedom. Being with Lief would only bring her the burdens of imprisonment. Jasmine has said it herself that she can't stand living in the palace. Lief let out a depressing sigh, and carried on his kingly duties of paperwork. That night, Lief lied in his bed, unable to sleep. He had Jasmine's face floating in front of him, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get Jasmine out of his mind.

_That's it. I can't take this anymore. I have to go tell Jasmine. Whether she rejects me or accepts me, I have to let her know. _He jumped out of his bed and slipped on a pair of pants and a silk tunic, and headed out of his room. He knew that it was late, but the tension was murdering him. He silently and quickly made his way through the large hallways and rooms of the palace, trying not to get lost. He has been living in the Palace of Del for almost three months, but the massive palace was still a challenge for him to find its ins and outs. When he finally reached Jasmine's room, he took the deepest breath he had ever taken in his life, and slowly pushed open the door. The intricate architect of the large door was so advanced that it opened without a single creak of cringe. When the door was fully opened, Lief, ever so silently and carefully, made his way to Jasmine's bed. And there she was, under her covers, sleeping peacefully.

As the pale light of the full moon crept into the room, it lit up Jasmine's entire bed, showing Kree and Fili snuggled together next to her. He stared at Jasmine, and smiled as he saw her beautiful face, lighted up by the luminance of the moonlight. Lief was taking in every detail of his beloved Jasmine, watching her chest gently rise and fall, her eyes occasionally twitching lightly, her dark hair spread out on the pillow, and her smooth, creamy skin glowing with the moonlight. So beautiful, so enchanting. Lief lost himself in the beauty of Jasmine, as her reached down a hand as he lightly stroked her hair and face, feeling the smoothness of both. He then, almost without his consent, leaned down, and lay his lips down on Jasmine's cheek, kissing it softly. Lief closed his eyes, and at that moment, he felt like he could happily stay in that position for the next millennium.

Suddenly, Jasmine's eyelids began to flutter, as they slowly opened, and she sleepily turned her eyes to Lief, to see him kissing her face tenderly, his eyes closed, like a baby. If someone kissed Jasmine on the face in her sleep, her normal reaction would be to bolt up and punch whoever it is in the eye. But Lief's expression was so pure and so cute, she just smiled and enjoyed the feeling of Lief's lips on her cheek. Before Lief's kiss, Jasmine always thought that Lief wouldn't like her, and that friends are as far as they'll ever get. With all the fine and pretty girls out there that Lief could have, why in the world would he choose her? But once Jasmine opened her eyes, she knew that Lief, her Lief, had loved her all along.


	2. Confessions of Affections

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the the characters of Deltora Quest.**

**Alright everyone! Chapter two! Hope you all enjoy!**

Confessions of Affections

When Lief finally lifted his lips from Jasmine's smooth cheeks, he was shocked to the bone to see that she was staring at him.

"J- J- Jasmine!" said Lief frantically. "I- I'm sorry! It's just-"

"Why stop?" asked Jasmine softly, cutting Lief off. Lief looked at Jasmine wide-eyed, and he couldn't believe his ears.

"Jasmine, did you just say…" Leif couldn't go on, he was in complete shock, and all he could do was look at Jasmine's smiling face, and process what he had just heard. Jasmine slowly sat up, and leaned in. _Her face…_ though Lief. _It's just like it was in my dream today when I was asleep in the study room!_ Jasmine reached up a hand, and gently touched Lief's face. She tilted her head a little, and her smile widened a bit. As Lief slowly realized that his feelings for Jasmine were actually being returned to him, his shock was melted into an unspeakably great joy. Lief reached his hand up and held Jasmine's hand in his and held it on his face, as he smiled back at her. Jasmine leaned in, her nose almost touching Lief's. Lief smiled at her widely, and Jasmine giggled as Lief grabbed both of her hands and kissed them. _A dream come true…_ thought Lief._ Literally._

"Jasmine…" whispered Lief. "I love you…" In the next moment, Lief and Jasmine's lips joined in a passionate and tender kiss. They squeezed each other's hands tightly, as their kiss carried them off into a state of love and bliss. Then, at the same instant, they both relaxed and slumped down onto Jasmine's bed, their hands and lips never separating. Lief never felt so much happiness and pleasure in all of his life. Jasmine was never more relieved to know that Lief's heart was hers from the very beginning, and that no talented or pretty girl from any noble family can ever take Lief away from her. It was at that very moment, Lief and Jasmine truly realized how much they loved each other. When they finally broke away from their kiss, Jasmine said something to Lief that made his night perfect.

"I love you too…" she whispered softly. Lief's heart melted at the words, and at the moment, he felt as if he could just hold onto Jasmine and never let go until his dying day.

"Jasmine," said Lief.

"Yes?"

"You have no idea how long I have been waiting to hear that you loved me…"

"How long?" asked Jasmine.

"Since forever… Ever since I first met you in the Forests of Silence, I fell in love with you. I was lying there, paralyzed, waiting to be dinner for a giant Gila monster, until you came. The moment I saw your face, I believed that I was dead, because I thought that I saw the face of an angel." Jasmine laughed, and gave Lief's hands a squeeze. "Don't laugh. I'm serious here." Jasmine gave a happy sigh and snuggled closer to Lief.

"When I found you and Barda in the forests," said Jasmine. "I had a feeling that you weren't a just a grey guard. And as we went through all the dangers and hardships together, I realized that my heart was slowly drifting towards you…" Lief was having a hard time taking everything in. Jasmine has never said anything so touching, and so loving to anyone! _Sh-she loves me! She really does! I feel like tha-_

"But I have been so scared after you were revealed to be the heir to the throne…" whispered Jasmine in a saddened tone, cutting into Lief's thoughts. "I knew that as the king, you were to marry a Toran woman with high blood that comes from nobility to bring the royal family honor, but I'm nothing but a wild forest girl. I thought that I'd never-" Jasmine suddenly stopped as Lief gently placed two fingers onto her lips.

"Jasmine, no Toran woman, however high in blood or however noble can win my heart… for it belongs to one person and one person only… and that person… is a wild and beautiful forest girl. You, Jasmine." Jasmine's eyes swelled up with tears of joy, hardly being able to believe what Lief had just told her.

"Lief…" she said with a trembling voice. "You mean it?"

"Jasmine, to me, you will always be my choice of love over anyone. I love you. "

"Do you… do you really love me?" asked Jasmine sheepishly. Even under the dim light of the moon, Lief could see that her eyes were now uncontrollably pouring with tears of pure happiness.

"Okay, how about this…" said Lief as he answered by leaning in and kissing her. It so soft, so compassionate… and so totally loving her. When Lief finally pulled back, he stroked Jasmine's silk hair and smiled at her. "Does that answer your question?" Jasmine smiled back, and shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she whispered playfully. "But could you repeat that?" Lief and Jasmine both giggled lightly, as Lief tied his arms around Jasmine, pulled her in close, and once again embraced her in deep and loving kiss. Jasmine's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and at the moment, all she could think about was how much she loved Lief.

Lief knew that he loved Jasmine more than anyone… And now, Lief knows that Jasmine loves him just as much. As their undying kiss slowly deepened, Jasmine scooted up closer to Lief, so close now that not only their lips, but their entire bodies were touching. Lief loved the warmth of Jasmine's body, and he smiled to himself as he felt Jasmine wrap her legs around his waist.

When it was over, the only things that the lovers were able to hear were each other's heavy but quiet breathing, and their light giggles. As they lay there, bound to each other by their arms and legs, they looked into each other's eyes lovingly. Even under the poor light, they can clearly see the deep affections that are shown in them.

"Jasmine," whispered Lief. "I love you. I love you so much."

"Lief…" Jasmine whispered back. She planted a light kiss on his lips and smiled. "I love you more." And with that, they shared one last kiss for the night and the two lovers fell asleep in each other's arms.

**ALL RIGHT! that's it for chapter two! hoped you liked it! I'll be posting the next chapter as soon as I can! Promise!**


	3. A Shocking Discussion

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Deltora Quest characters.**

**ALLLLRIGHTY! Chapter 3! Sorry I took long to post this. Too much back to school preps. But it's here!**

A Shocking Discussion

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Who- wha?" mumbled Lief sleepily as he slowly opened his eyes. He let them slowly adjust to the light of dawn that was pouring in through the window, and there she was… Jasmine, sleeping soundly with a slight smile on her face. _What-the?_ Thought Lief. _What's she doing h-_ and then he remembered what happened. He remembered how he crept into Jasmine's room in the middle of the night to tell her how much he loved her, already aware of the consequences, and how he then planted a long kiss on her cheek. Jasmine then woke up and caught him, but it turned out that she loved Lief just as much as he loved her. And then there they were, lying in Jasmine's bed, facing each other and locked up in a tight embrace as they shared loving kisses and confessed their feelings for each other.

Lief sighed happily at the memory, and looked at Jasmine's angelic face, with her light smile and strands of dark hair falling over her closed eyes. _She's so beautiful … and her heart is mine. _Lief closed his eyes, and melted into Jasmine. His arms, which were already around Jasmine's body, held her tighter. _I don't know much, but I know that I love her, and she loves m-_

_Knock, knock, knock._

There it was again. That knocking on Jasmine's door. Someone was outside. Lief groaned and reluctantly let go of Jasmine, taking care not to wake her. If it weren't for the person outside of Jasmine's door, Lief would've happily held Jasmine in his arms stayed there until the Belt of Deltora crumpled to dust. But in order to avoid unnecessary discussions about what he was doing in Jasmine's room with whomever it is outside, Lief knew that he had to leave without being noticed. Just as he sat up, a hand grabbed onto Lief's arm from behind and pulled him back down.

"Don't go," said Jasmine sleepily. "It's not even morning yet. Stay with me." Lief felt a jolt of happiness, and leaned forward and gave Jasmine a tender kiss.

"I don't want to go," said Lief. "But I have to."

"Why?" asked Jasmine with her eyes now huge instead of closed.

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Oh… that's why."

"Jasmine?" came Sharn's muffled voice from outside. _Mother? _Thought Lief. _What's she doing here?_

"Jasmine? Are you in there?"

"Coming!" shouted Jasmine. She then made a gesture to Lief for him to hide into the closet. Lief understood immediately and flung himself through the closet doors and shut them silently. Jasmine jumped out of bed and undid the lock to her door.

"Lady Sharn!" exclaimed Jasmine. "Good morning! What brings you here?"

"Good morning Jasmine!" said Sharn in a cheery voice. "I was just wondering… have you seen Lief anywhere? I have something important that I wanted to talk him about."

"Oh," said Jasmine. "Is he not in his room?"

"I searched in his room, but he wasn't there. I thought that maybe you knew where he could be."

"Um… is it possible that he woke up a bit earlier than usual and just decided to take a walk?"

"I'm not sure, but if you see him later on, could you please tell me?"

"Yes, lady Sharn. And… if you don't mind me asking, what is it that you want to speak to Lief with?"

"I'm sorry dear, it's somewhat… personal. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh, no, no, not all! It's fine."

"I thank you for understanding." and with that, Sharn left with a big smile and a pat on Jasmine's shoulder. Jasmine then shut her door and bolted it shut.

"Alright Lief," said Jasmine. "She's gone."

"Whew!" breathed Lief. "What did mother want?"

"I don't know," replied Jasmine. "She just said that she had some important matters that she wanted to talk to you about."

"What kind of important matters?" asked Lief.

"Like I said, I don't know," said Jasmine, slightly annoyed. "I asked her but she wouldn't tell me. She said that it was personal."

"Oh… ok."

"Anyway, if Lady Sharn is looking for you, then you'd best be leaving right now." Lief smiled at Jasmine, and nodded in response.

"So… how do I get out without being noticed?" asked Lief.

"Hm… you got me there on that one." Jasmine scanned her room, searching for a safe way for Lief to escape. "I know! Your cloak! That'll make you invisible!"

"Jasmine, that's a smart idea, but sadly, I don't have my cloak with me right now."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot."

"Come on… I have gotta get out of here before anyone else comes!"

"Just relax, Lief. You'll find a way to get out. Just keep looking." Lief nodded again, and began to search the room again for any possible and undetectable escape routes.

"Hey, how about the window?" asked Lief. "That leads to the palace gardens. Usually no one visits there besides you."

"Lief, are you crazy?" shouted Jasmine.

"Shhhhh!" hissed Lief as he covered Jasmine's mouth with his hand. "Someone will hear you!" Lief then removed his hand form Jasmine's mouth and sighed. "So, Jasmine. Why is the idea so bad?"

"Well, my wise king," snorted Jasmine sarcastically. "In case you haven't noticed, it's a forty meter drop if you jump out the window. It's more of a way to commit suicide than escape."

"Ohhhhhh…" breathed Lief. And for the next few minutes, Lief and Jasmine just stood there, completely stumped. Then, suddenly, Jasmine beamed up.

"Lief?"

"Yes?"

"The window might just work." Lief's eyes widened, and stared at Jasmine incredulously.

"Jasmine, please tell me that your joking."

"No, I'm not."

"Jasmine! You said it yourself that it's a forty meter drop! Do you want me to die?"

"Calm down, Lief. I have an idea." With that, Jasmine went to her closet, and pulled out a large coil of thin rope. Lief's eyes narrowed, and he then smiled widely.

"The rope form Tom's shop!" exclaimed Lief.

"Mm hm!" chirped Jasmine. Now you can leave safely through the window!" Lief never knew that Jasmine still kept that coil of deathly expensive rope that they bought from the greedy owner Tom. But he was glad that she did. Lief walked up to Jasmine and she handed him the rope. Lief grabbed onto the coil, but Jasmine wouldn't let go. Lief pulled, but she just smiled.

"Jasmine, what're you- WHOA!" Lief started to say, but was cut off when Jasmine tugged on the rope sharply, pulling Lief to her. Lief was pulled off balance and he was afraid that he was going to fall on Jasmine, but she used her slim but strong arms and held Lief tightly. The next thing that Lief knew, Jasmine pressed her lips on Lief's and held them there tightly. Lief's surprise quickly turned into love and relaxation, as he slowly closed his eyes and slid his free arm around Jasmine's waist. When they at last broke apart, they touched foreheads, and looked into each other's eyes with love and happiness.

"You should probably leave now," whispered Jasmine.

"Yeah, I probably should," said Lief.

"See me at the garden pond in three hours. I'll be waiting." Lief eagerly agreed by giving a few enthusiastic nods. Jasmine reluctantly let go of the rope, and watched as Lief walked toward the window. When Lief reached the window sill, he stared down at the ground below him. It was a deadly drop. Lief gulped as he tossed one end of the rope upwards toward the roof, and watched as the magical rope wrapped it self tightly around one of the thick supporting beams of the ceiling.

"Lief!" called out Jasmine just before he was about to jump out. Lief spun his head around, and faced Jasmine.

"Yes?"

"I love you." Lief grinned at the words, and blew a kiss to Jasmine.

"I love you more." Then, with his hands tight on the rope, Lief jumped out the window and began the descent down to the garden floors. Slowly and carefully, Lief inched his way down the wall, until he finally reached solid ground. He looked up at Jasmine's window, and saw Jasmine's head, looking down at him. Jasmine waved at Lief, pulled on the rope a few times, and then the thin but strong material quickly and neatly coiled itself into a ring. Lief waved back at Jasmine, and watched her until her head shrank back into the window.

_Jasmine's mine now. _Thought Lief with a warm and fuzzy feeling in his chest. _Nothing can take her away from me._

Lief scanned his surroundings, making sure that there was no one around, and then dashed off to the king's bed chamber. When he finally arrived to his large room, he was matted in sweat all over from all the running. He pushed open the large doors, and ran into the room, heading straight to his closet. He yanked open the agar wood doors and grabbed his king's robes and boots, and quickly slapped his sword onto the Belt of Deltora (which he now wore at all times, except for when he bathed). Once Lief was fully dressed, he bolted his bedroom door and headed down to his study room.

When he at last reached the large, well lit room, he slumped down onto his chair and let out a deep breath. He looked tiredly at all of the letters and scrolls on his desk, and gave out a quiet groan.

"Your majesty!" shouted one of the servants, making Lief jump. Lief nearly passed out when saw the huge load of scrolls that the man was carrying. "Your majesty, there are urgent situations that need to be taken care in various parts of Deltora, and all the people are waiting for the king's orders. These need to be taken care of before nightfall, your majesty." Lief covered his face with his hands, and let out the longest sigh of his life.

"Just set them on the table," mumbled Lief.

"Yes, your majesty." The servant plopped the many scrolls down onto the king's desk. Lief, trying very hard to not cry, waved the servant away. The man bent down for a deep bow, and hurried out of the room. _I hope that none of these scrolls are too long. I still have to meet Jasmine at the palace garden pond in a few hours._

After realizing that feeling bad wasn't going to help his present situation, Lief dipped his quill into the inkwell, unrolled the first scroll, and began reading. For nearly an hour, Lief sat through scrolls and scrolls with reports on things that are much less serious than he had thought, such as minor riots, and intense debates between family members for family treasures and inheritance. Lief was nearly on the verge of tearing up the scrolls with his bare teeth, when he suddenly heard fast footsteps in the hallway behind him. Lief turned around, to see Sharn approaching him hurriedly.

"Lief!" exclaimed Sharn. "There you are! I've been looking for you all morning!"

"O-oh…" stuttered Lief, trying his best to act like he knew nothing of what Sharn meant. "Do you need me for something, mother?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something very important."

"Ah! Good! These scrolls have been driving me up the walls! I could use some time away from these foul reports!" Sharn laughed lightly, and patted Lief on the back.

"Well, this is your chance!" Lief smiled at his mother, and stood up from his desk. "Come now, Lief. Let's talk in my room." Lief nodded, and gladly left the wretched scrolls behind him and followed his mother.

When Lief and Sharn finally arrived at the queen's bedroom, Sharn's servants at the door pushed open the large, carved doors, and a blast of wonderful smells greeted Lief. Lief looked into his mother's room, and saw that inside, there was a moderate sized square table for two, and a pair of cushioned chairs on each side of the table. On the table, there were many porcelain plates topped with small cakes, sugared fruits, fresh cookies, and many more mouth-watering delicacies along with two pots of steaming tea.

Sharn gestured for Lief to take a seat, waved her servants away, and at the same time telling them to shut the doors. Once the servants were well gone, Sharn took the seat opposite of Lief and poured herself some tea. Lief stared at the table covered with delicious foods, and then at his mother that was sprinkling sugar in her tea. He was totally confused.

"Mother…" said Lief. "Is there any special event today… or something worth of celebration?" Sharn smiled at Lief, and took a sip of her drink.

"Lief, help yourself to some tea and snacks. After you've had a piece of cake and some tea, we'll talk." Feeling rather awkward, Lief poured himself a cup of dark rose tea, and grabbed a butter cookie. He bit into the little piece crunchy delightfulness, and washed it down with some hot liquid. After Lief was finished with his cookie and cup of tea, he wiped his fingers and mouth with his napkin, and cleared his throat.

"Okay mother," said Lief. "Now can you tell me what this is all about?" Sharn finished the last of her sugared peaches and set down her fork.

"Lief, have you been making friends in the palace ever since you were crowned?"

"Huh?" Lief was surprised and confused at his mother's question. She made it sound like that Lief was a little boy, attending some kind of school at the palace of Del. "Mother, what do you mean?"

"Lief, please answer my question first." Lief thought about how he was going to answer the question, but couldn't think, because of his mother's strange and sudden behavior. First, she searches the entire palace for Lief, saying that she had some important matters to discuss with him, and then she sits Lief down at a feast of tea and sweets, and makes him eat before she would talk to him. And after Lief ate, Sharn asked him one of the most strange and random questions that a king would ever be asked. Lief was starting to worry if something had happened to his mother.

"Lief, I'm waiting."

"Mother, are you okay?"

"Son, I assure you, I am fine."

"Um… alright then." After some more time of waiting, Lief finally spoke.

"Here at the palace, I do meet plenty of people… but acquaintances were as far as I ever went with them. Um… the only true friends that I have here are Jasmine and Barda. …and maybe doom, but…" Lief's voice trailed off, not sure what to say next.

"Lief," said Sharn in a serious but soft tone. "I'm going to get straight to the point with you here." Lief felt a sensation of relief rush over him, glad that he wasn't going to have to expand on the awkward question that he was asked earlier. "Your eighteenth birthday is nearing, and I hope that you can do something before we celebrate the event."

"I will do whatever it is within my power to do," said Lief as he reached for his tea pot and helped himself to a another cup of warm goodness. Sharn smiled, and continued on.

"The kings of the royal bloodline before you have many differences, but the one thing that all of them have in common with, is getting married before or during the age of eighteen." When Lief heard what his mother had just said, his eyes opened wide and he started coughing and sputtering on his drink, and felt a sharp pain up in his nostril as tea started pouring out of his nose.

Oh, dear," gasped Sharn as she hurried over to Lief and wiped his nose with her napkin. "Are you okay?" After coughing and gaging, for another whole minute, Lief nodded.

"Mother…" said Lief in a raspy voice. "Did you just say… 'married'?"

"Yes, Lief. I did. It is vital that the royal bloodline goes on, and we can ensure that by finding you a Toran princess of high blood, and by making sure that you get married as soon as possible. It has been a tradition for hundreds of years." Jasmine's face suddenly flashed into Lief's mind, and then he felt pang of shame and despair. His mother said that Lief needed to marry a Toran princess of high blood, and marry as soon as possible. Jasmine was no princess, nor was she high in blood. And Jasmine would never agree to being cooped up in the palace as queen. And sadly, Jasmine was the only girl that Lief was sure he would ever marry.

"Lief, if you like, I can choose a bride for you from Tora, and-"

"No," said Lief firmly. "I cannot agree to this. I will not be like all the other kings of Deltora and have an arranged marriage just for the continuation of a family. I will only marry for love, and only when I'm ready. I'm sorry mother." Sharn seemed quite taken aback by her son's determination and refusal to an arranged marriage. She didn't know whether to be happy or angry.

"Now if you'll excuse me," said Lief. "I have a little meeting with someone, and I wouldn't want to be late for it. Lief smiled to himself, knowing that even though he and his mother will very likely be having some very unpleasant conversations with each other in the not too distant future, he was going to be seeing his beloved Jasmine again very soon.


	4. Lovers in a Bad Situation

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in Deltora Quest. **

**My thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed and favorite this fanfiction! Chapter four is finally here! I'm sorry that I took so long. School has been tougher than boot camp! .-_-. But anyway, enjoy!**

Lovers in a Bad Situation

As Jasmine sat near the garden pond, splashing her bare feet in the water, she smiled to herself, and was wondering when Lief would come. She sighed happily, as she thought about the night that she shared with Lief. Everything was so magical. _I love him… _Suddenly, Jasmine felt Kree and Fili chirping and nudging her, as if they were protesting about something.

"What is it, you two?" asked Jasmine. Then, Jasmine suddenly realized that had said her thoughts out loud. "Oh, you guys. You know that you'll always be my best friends." At that, Kree and Fili happily hopped up and down, and changed their nudging into rubbing. Jasmine stroked Kree's feathers and Fili's fur, and cuddled the two little critters in her arms. _I wonder when Lief will be getting here…_ thought Jasmine. _It's almost three hours._ Then, all of a sudden, as if answering to her thoughts, she heard the familiar voice that she has been waiting anxiously to hear all day.

"Jasmine!" shouted Lief as he came running toward her from the garden. Without hesitation, Jasmine sprang up from the ground and dashed into Lief's open arms. As Jasmine flew onto him, Lief was knocked off balance and fell to the floor. Even so, he held Jasmine tightly and didn't let go. And from there, Lief and Jasmine shared their second kiss of the day.

"I know that it's only been a few hours," said Lief. "But I missed you."

"I missed you more," said Jasmine as she leaned down and kissed Lief again. The two lovers stayed there, enjoying the atmosphere and enjoying each other. When they finally broke apart for breath, Jasmine flopped down by Lief's side and laid there with him, panting and looking at the blue sky.

"Hey Lief," said Jasmine.

"Yeah?"

"Let's go for a swim!" without waiting for Lief's reply, Jasmine hopped up and ran towards the pond. Lief didn't know what to do but run after her, and so that's what he did. When he reached the large pond, he stopped dead in his tracks as he stared at Jasmine. She was pulling off her clothes quickly, but to Lief, it was like in slow-motion. He watched her, dazed, as her tunic was removed and her flat stomach and covered breasts were revealed. And when she pulled off her shorts, Lief almost fainted when he saw the smooth, shapely legs, gleaming in the sunlight. Lief was in total awe. He stared at the pure beauty before him, and he felt like he was paralyzed.

"OW!" yelped Lief as he was suddenly yanked out of his trance by a sharp pain on his left hand. He looked down, and saw Fili hanging by his mouth on Lief's middle finger. The little critter was almost glaring at Lief.

"Lief!" exclaimed Jasmine as she came running. "What happed?"

"Uh… Fili…" Lief didn't know what to say. It was so strange that Fili would bite him for staring at Jasmine.

"Fili! What are you doing?" shouted Jasmine as she yanked Fili off of Lief's finger. "You bad little boy!"

"Why'd he bite you? Asked Jasmine.

"I think he was… jealous." Jasmine's eyes narrowed at Fili, and she then burst out laughing.

"Oh, Fili. You are the cutest thing!" Lief, though still slightly confused, grinned.

"It looks like I've got competition," said Lief. Jasmine laughed again and playfully punched Lief on the shoulder.

"Alright, enough of this," said Jasmine. "Let's swim!" Jasmine then dived head first into the pond and hovered around in the water, laughing and splashing happily. Lief smiled, and began taking off his outer garments, and carefully folded and placed them on a rock, trying not to get the kingly garments wrinkled or dirty. When he finally stripped down to just his under shorts, He deeply inhaled the sweet, flower scented air and jumped into the crystal clear water with a somersault flip. He dived down under, rose back up again, and spit a stream of water onto the grass. Right after he spat out the water, as if it traveled through a portal, another stream of water hit him square on the back of the head. He tried to turn around as quickly as he can in the water, (which was not very quick) to see Jasmine grinning at him.

"You wanna play?" asked Lief with an evil smile. Then, without warning, Lief dove under the water and swam straight at Jasmine—faster than Jasmine ever thought that he could go—and grabbed Jasmine's side and began tickling her. Jasmine began laughing hysterically, and tried to squirm away by kicking and pushing, but it was no use. Lief had a vice grip on her, and was tickling her to death.

"Lief! Lief! Please stop!" begged Jasmine. "ST- STOP!" Lief's head poked out of the water, and he spat a mouthful of water at Jasmine. Jasmine swam to shore and held onto the ground for a while to catch her breath, still wheezing and laughing.

"Do you still wanna play?" asked Lief slyly. When Jasmine finally caught her breath, she grinned, and turned to face Lief.

"Oh yes." Then, even quicker than Lief was, Jasmine shot through the water like a dolphin and grabbed onto Lief's shoulders, catching him off guard, and dragged him under the water. There, Jasmine wrapped her arms around Lief, and tangled her legs with his. Lief was at first surprised at Jasmine's speedy attack, but there, in the water and under the sunlight, he witnessed the most beautiful sight of his life. Jasmine was smiling at him lovingly, with her hair spread out and floating in the water, forming a halo above her head. Everything was touched by a golden glow from the sun, making Lief feel like that he was in heaven. His surprise was quickly changed into a breathtaking kiss. He brought his arms around Jasmine, and he held her close, feeling the warmth of her lips in the coolness of the water. _How much closer to heaven can one get?_ Thought Lief. He and Jasmine relaxed into each other, and stayed there, floating—almost flying in the glowing water. After some time, they at last broke apart and rose to the surface for air.

Lief gratefully sucked in huge gulps of air, while at the same time staring at Jasmine with a big smile on his face. Lief reached out a hand and stroked Jasmine's soaked hair, and brought it back around her neck and away from her eyes. Jasmine, breathing just as hard as Lief, and with a smile just as big, put a smooth hand on Lief's face and stroked his cheek. There, under the sun and in the water, Lief and Jasmine both realized that in all of their lives, of all the joys they went through, nothing can compare to just being close to each other. Nothing ever made them happier. At the same time, as if they were connected in one, Lief and Jasmine leaned in and their lips met again.

Jasmine relaxed and closed her eyes as she saw Lief close his own, and pressed herself tighter to him. _This is love… _thought Jasmine. _I love him so much._ Jasmine could almost taste the love on Lief's lips.

Lief felt that he could burst out of joy at any moment. He was happy, excited, and scared. _Why am I scared? _Thought Lief. _I… I'm scared that I'll… lose… her… _Lief's eyes snapped open, to see Jasmine perfectly relaxed and in pleasure. His heart suddenly twisted in fear, and he felt a hard lump in his throat as the back of his eyes began stinging. _No, Lief. What are you thinking? You're not going to lose her. Nothing's going to happen. Not while you're alive. _Lief didn't know what came over him. Why was he suddenly thinking such thoughts? He quickly cleared the thoughts out of his head and closed his eyes again. He tried his best to relax, and was hoping that what he feared would never come true. _It wouldn't come true. Nothing's going to happen. You just love her too much, and you're worrying for no reason. Everything is going to be alright. Everything is going to be alri-_

"A-hem." coughed a gruff voice behind Lief. Lief and Jasmine's eyes opened at the same instant as Lief quickly spun around to see Doom glaring down at them, arms crossed and his face contorted in rage.


End file.
